Welcome to the El Camino Baptist Church blog. We wanted a place where our ministry leaders could share things that God has laid on their hearts. Please feel free to comment and join in the discussion as we share how God is moving through His church.Other places to find us on the web are our website, Youtube, and Facebook. You can also check out Hoss' music blog at hosshughes.com.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Persecution of the American Church

When we think of persecution of the church our minds immediately jump to countries like China and North Korea...places where your very life and well-being are threatened for bowing your head and praying. But you don't have to look halfway around the globe to see the persecution of the church.

Yesterday our Ministry Leadership Team went to a seminar on Politics and the Church put on in part by the Alliance Defense Fund, a team of Christian attornies that fight to protect our civil liberties. They gave several examples of the church being persecuted litigiously but the one that struck me most was one involving a Bible study. A pastor held a private Bible study with a few other people in his home and when the city found out about it they started fining him. Once the ADF stepped in and assisted they got the whole thing overturned but the point remains.

There may come a time, sooner rather than later, when the government takes action against your civil religious liberties. If that happens, what will you do? Will you hide your lamp under a bushel or continue to shine as Christ has called you to?